Means for retaining flags and the like extended.



C. M. BROWN. MEANS FOR RETAINING FLAGS AND THE LIKE EXTENDED. APPLICATION FILED SEPT.25.1915.

w Patented Feb. 5,1918.

WIT IVESS MEANS FOR RETAINING FLAGS AND THE LIKE EXTENDED.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 5, rate.

Application filed September 25, 1915. Serial No. 52,576.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CORNELIUS M. Brown, a citizenof the United States, and a resident of Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for Betaining Flags and the like Extended, of which the following is a specification.

The objects of this invention are to provide a means separable from a flag adapted to prevent it from twisting around a supporting flag pole; to provide such a device for use more especially with substantially horizontal flag poles; to avoid injuring or in any way mutilating the flag by applying the devicethereto; to support the device from the flag supporting means, and thus avoid any tendency to tear the flag; to provide a construction which will not materially impair the graceful wave of the flag; to utilize the design of the flag to render the device less conspicuous; to secure simplicity of construction and operation, and to obtain other advantages and results as may be brought out in the following description.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, in which like numerals of reference indicate the same partsthroughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a face view of a flag to which my device is applied;

Fig. 2 is'a top edge view of the device independent of a flag;

Fig. 3 is a side edge view of the same;

Fig. 4 is a perspective View of a modified construction of my invention shown in connection with a flag,and

Fig. 5 is a face View of a further modified construction.

In the specific embodiment of the inven tion illustrated more particularly in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawing, the reference numeral 1 indicates a flag pole sloping somewhat from a horizontal position. Supported by the flag pole in any suitable manner, as by a rope 2, is a flag 3, and although as shown in the drawings the ropes ends are secured to opposite sides of the flag adjacent its upper edge it will be obvious that the manner in which the flag is supported by the rope or from the pole may be varied in any desired manner without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. From the flexible nature of the usual flag it is necessary tosupport the same from its upper corners in order to hold it extended, and this supporting means, comprising in the present disclosure the rope in conjunction with the pole 1, extends outward from the flag at its opposite upper corners in the normal plane of the flag.

My improved meansfor retaining flags or the like extended is carried by the supporting means of the flag, and to this end provides a pair of side members or arms 4 adapted to extend parallel to the side edges of the flag, preferably adjacent thereto so as to be inconspicuous, and provided at their upper ends with suitable engaging devices such as eyes 5 adapted to receive the rope 2 therethrough and hang upon the same. Preferably also, the eyes 5 are large enough to be loose upon the rope, not only for greater ease in applying the same to the rope but in order to permit waving of the flag in the breeze to swing the members readily and thus retain as far as possible the gracefulness of the flag as it waves- Strands of wire twisted together have been found suitable for service as the arms or members 4, since the same are light, flexible, durable and economical. For ordinary purposes two strands of wire twisted together will suiiice, but obviously any number desirable may be employed. Furthermore, if desired the wires need not be twisted the entire length of the arms, but may be twisted adjacent the opposite ends of the arms and left untwisted the remaining length, or in fact, may be twisted in any manner found desirable for the purpose. In the manufacture of the arms or side members shown herein, a wire is doubled and formed into the ring or loop 5 above described and then the two strands of the one piece of wire twisted together below the ring, thus providing a permanently closed ring not liable to displacement from the supporting rope or the like. v

Preferably the arms or members a are proportioned in length substantially equal to the distance the blue union extends from the upper edge of the flag, but obviously for use with flags other than the national flag of the United States, the length of the arms may be varied to more perfectly conceal the device in the design of the flag. From the lower ends of the arms or memhere 4 and joining the same is a transverse member for restraining the flag and cause In this manner, as the flag blows fromside to side it engages either one or the other of the strandsand consequently swings the arms 4, 1- with the flag. The deviee for ordinary purposes is heavy enough to prevent the flag from twisting over the pole at all,

but should the end of the flag flap over, the

arms will ultimately hang down vertically by. gravity and the greater weight of the free end of thefiag extending upward from the transverse or restraining member to the flag pole will over-balance the small remaining end flapped over the pole and will accordingly cause the same to slip off the pole and the flag will then straighten out.

In Fig. 1 of the drawing is shown a pair of arms or members 8, 8 adapted to lie adjacent the side edges of a flag and having a connecting member 9 at their upper ends. This will serve as a rigid member for holding the flag extended transversely of itself and'the flag may then be carried by any support whether rigid or flexible. For illustrative purposes links 10,10 are shown engaging the eyelets of the flag and overlying a supporting member 11, said links also passing around th etransverse connecting imember 9: between the arms 8, 8, preferably fast thereto.

In this construction the arms are shown as single strands of wire bent at their lower ends outwardly awayfrom the flag forming hooks 12, 12, said arms or strands 8, 8 and connecting member 9 being shown as a single length or integral piece of stifi wire. Extending around the arms, and prevented from falling off the same by the hooks, is a restraining member 13 comprising separated strands 14, 14, of any suitable material between which the flag 15 may be inserted. For some purposes said strands may be of rubber or other elastic material,

or they may be of string, or wire, or any material found sufiicient for the purpose, and said strands may be portions of one continuous band of such material.

If desired a combination of the constructions shown in Figs..1-3 and Fig. 4

be employed, suchfor instance as shown in Fig. 5, wherein a pair of arms 16 are provided having hooks 17 at their upper ends adapted to. receive rings or the like 18 carried by the flag supporting means. Said arms are shown as single st ands of wire integrally connected at their lower ends by a connecting member 19, said arms and connecting member preferably being parts of a single piece of stiff wire. Upon the arms 16, 16 adjacent the connecting member 19 are twisted the opposite ends of a finer and consequently more ductile piece vof wire forming a restraining member 20 the body portion of which extends between the arms substantially parallel to the connecting member 19 and adjacent thereto. A slot 21 is thus made between said members 19. and 20 through which the flag may pass. Furthermore, the construction shown in thisfigure may be used as in the construction of Fig. 4: by the addition of a, restraining member having two strands such as shown in Fig. 4.

Obviously other detail modifications and changes may be made in manufacturing my improved means for retaining flags and the like extended without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and I do not'wish to be understood as restricting myself except as required by the following claims when construed in the light of the prior art.

Having thus described the invention what I claim is:

1. The hereindescribed means for retaining flags and the .like extended, comprising a pair of arms spaced apart in substantially parallel relation to each other the width of a flag and providing means for retaining the same upon a flag supporting means, and a transverse restraining member conneeting said arms at their ends opposite from said retaining means and providing parallel and separated portions adapted to receive a flag therebetween.

2. The hereindescribed means for retaining flags and the like extended, comprising a pairof arms spaced apart in substantially parallel relation to each other the width of a flag and providing means for retaining the same upon a flag supporting means, and a transverse restraining member connecting said arms at their ends opposite from said retaining means and providing parallel and separated portions adapted'to receive a'fiag loosely therebetween.

3. The hereindescribed means for retaining flags and the like extended, comprising a pair of arms spaced apart in substantially parallel relation to each other the width of a flag and having each a ring at its upper end for supporting the same upon a flag support, and means at the other ends of said arms extending between said arms adapted to retain a fin 4. The hereindescribed means for retaining flags and the like extended, comprising a pair of arms spaced apart in substantially parallel relation to each other the Width of a flag each arm having a plurality of strands twisted together to form the same, and means extending between said arms adapted to retain a flag.

5. The hereindescrihed means for retaining flags and the like extended, comprising a pa1r of arms spaced apart in substantially parallel relation to each other the Width of a flag, said arms consisting of- CORNELIUS M. BRO.

homes of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Eatenta,

ashington, D G. 

